Every year, as the summer reaches its peak (and what a peak we are enjoying this summer on the North American Eastern Seaboard!), I feel the urge to do a post about something that shouts “summer” to all senses.
This year I want it to be paella. I’ve long loved this famous dish. It is considered to have originated in Valencia, Spain, and the Valencianos are very protective of their invention. Nobody can make it better than them, apparently. It may well be true, but, nonetheless, paella is made and enjoyed all over Spain, especially the marisco (seafood) type. Here is a picture that really struck a chord with me, published back in June by Ángel Almazán, a journalist and a blogger from the region of Soria in north-central Spain. His blog, called Todo Lo Que Hay Que Saber Sobre Tajueco (“Everything You Need To Know About Tajueco”) is a great source for images and information not often found anywhere else. Doesn’t this photo look just like a painting by a Baroque master?
This picturesque seafood paella was made for a celebratory lunch in honour of Saint Anthony of Padua, the protector of Tajueco, a small village in Soria, a province in north-central Spain.
This mouth-watering paella was made at a restaurant called Can Solé, located in the Barceloneta neighborhood of Barcelona. This seaside neighborhood is located on a small man-made peninsula, which came into existence centuries ago when the harbour was extended to include a sandy islet called Maians. Maians is also the name of the company that makes my favourite mesh plimsolls.
Enjoy your summer, everyone!
